Louise Potter
by dontyou2read
Summary: Miranda Cottle knows she is ordinary - apart from her top grades at NEWTs. But can one meeting with the headmaster at the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry change her life?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

I shut the lid on my trunk, clicked the lock and turned around. I sighed. I was alone in the dormitory. As I looked around, it was hard to believe that I would never be here again. It had basically been my home for the most part of seven years. Without realising what I had been doing, I had left the Gryffindor common room through the portrait hole and had started walking through the castle, taking in the familiar sights of corridors and classrooms, statues and suits of armour, and fought hard to hold back the tears.

For the past few days, the castle had been gloomy. Gloomier than usual I mean. No one really knew whether they should be celebrating the fact that Harry Potter had won the Triwizard Tournament, or mourning the death of Cedric Diggory. Of course, Harry being the talk of the castle is normal and, I can't say that this is true, but honestly, he should be used to it by now. However even he was rarely seen in the common room, he spent as much time as he could in his dorm by the sounds of things.

When I eventually reached the great oak double doors, Professor Flitwick was there, ticking off names as he had done on the first and last day of every school year ever since I had been here. I walked up to him.

"Name?" he asked, without looking up.

"Miranda Cottle" I had to whisper my reply as my voice and strength seemed to have deserted me.

"Ah Miranda," he said, and his eyes glistened. I had been one of his favourite students, and he was one of my favourite teachers. "This year was your last, wasn't it?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Well, I think I speak on behalf of all of the teachers when I say… well… goodbye, good luck and we will miss you"

"Thank you Professor," I said and turned away for I was worried that I would miss the train.

I ran down onto the platform and gave my luggage to one of the porters. Hagrid was shouting at me to get on the train. I jumped on just as we started to leave the platform, and by the time I had found my friends, there was no sign of Hogwarts. I turned to my two best friends; Meredith Saunders and Charlotte Mackel (although we call her Lottie).

"Guys that was our last year there." We looked at each other and our eyes glistened as the finality of it all set in. Sure, we had been of age for over a year but now we had left our school, left our childhoods, behind. This was a finality that we didn't enjoy.

Looking at my friends, I realised that we had so much in common, but we wouldn't see much of each other anymore. We were all going separate ways and lived in different areas of the country. This was too much for me.

"I'm going to change" It was the first thing that came to mind, but I knew they wouldn't believe it. We hide nothing from each other. However, they all understood and let me get my clothes. I left. Instead of heading towards the toilets, I headed to the front of the train. The trolley lady would be there, she was always chatty. But I just wanted to walk and savour my last moments as a... child.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Miranda," came the sound of my mum's voice up the stairs, "breakfasts ready."

"Coming," I shouted back, putting down my hairbrush and following the smell of bacon and eggs.

"Morning Hazel," I said, I never call them mum and dad, even though they are my parents by birth. "Morning Richard," I added as he came through the study door.

Grabbing a plate off the side, I thought about what I had to do today. Revise for my auror training test on Monday… tidy my room… That was it. Life after Hogwarts was pretty bland until you got your first job.

Just then, I noticed a speck against the blue morning sky. A speck that looked just like an owl. _Hang on_ I thought _that's a Hogwarts owl_. I was sure of it. It came to the window and tapped on it.

"Hello," I said coaxing it in, "You must have got the wrong house, I don't go to Hogwarts anymore. And my NEWT results have already been delivered." But as I read the envelope, I could clearly see the name. Miranda Cottle. I took the letter, opened it and began to read.

_Dear Miranda, _ it read

_ I am writing to request a meeting with you. Preferably sometime today at around 1 O'clock. If you can come, please send the reply with this owl. _

_ Yours sincerely,_

_ Professor APWB Dumbledore _

_ Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_ P.S. If you are coming, please apparate into Hogsmeade and I will see you outside The Three Broomsticks._

This should have come as a shock, but it didn't. During my time at school, I used to have regular meetings with Dumbledore to discuss everything from what I was learning (mainly about DADA) to what was in the news. He seemed to value my opinions, and privacy as nothing about our meetings got out to anyone but my best friends.

"Well?" said Hazel, interrupting my thoughts.

"Well what?" I said.

"What do they want?" she said, sighing, "Hogwarts."

"Oh that." I answered and told her about the contents of the letter. "Have you got a quill anywhere? I'll send my reply."

She passed me one. I scribbled a quick '_Yes, I would love to come at the aforementioned date and time. M.C.' _and sent it off. He had also taught me how to write letters formally without giving away too much information. With that, I ran up the stairs to prepare.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Hogsmeade was surprisingly quiet for a sunny, summer Saturday, and as I walked down to the cloaked figure outside the pub, I couldn't help but think of the studying I could be doing, sat outside in the park with a nice ice cream.

"Good afternoon Professor," I said as he turned to greet me.

"Good afternoon Miranda," he said, "and please, now you've left school, call me Albus. Would you like to have a drink beforehand?"

"Oh ok… Albus," he gestured towards the door of The Three Broomsticks, "but old habits die hard. Thank you." He opened the door and we walked in.

There was a free table in the corner and before we had even sat down Madam Rosmerta, who I had regular chats with during our visits, came over.

"Good afternoon Albus," she said grinning and pouring drinks we hadn't ordered, "and to you Miranda. How are you today?"

"Fine thank you Rosmerta," said Dumbledore. I swear that man isn't fazed by anything. "We can only stay for a few minutes I'm afraid." Rosmerta nodded and walked away to tend the bar.

Roughly half an hour later (Rosmerta kept on insisting we stay) we managed to slip out and headed for the castle. When we reached the towering gates, Dumbledore simply put his hand on them and they swung open. Walking through, I realised just how stunningly quiet the castle could be when there was no one else around.

I jumped as the gates clanged shut behind me. All of the flowers were in bloom, and the castle was bathing in the sunlight. Dumbledore started walking faster and I found it hard to keep up. I was practically jogging. In less than a minute, we were both seated, one either side of the magnificent desk that stood in the middle of his office.

"Now," he started, "I guess you are wondering why you are here. Yes?"

"Well not really Professor. I mean – Albus," honestly, nothing was surprising at the moment and I am used to meetings in the headmaster's office. "Why, is there something different we are going to discuss?"

"Yes actually. And it is a matter that concerns you greatly"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_A matter that concerns me? _I thought. _What is he talking about? _

"How?" I asked.

"All will become clear," said Dumbledore mysteriously. I hate it when he does that. You are never allowed to know something outright in here. "Now. You are familiar with the story of the Potters I presume?" He paused and I replied with a nod of my head – I mean, who doesn't? "Well there is more to the story than anyone but myself know."

"Hang on Albus," I said - could this get more confusing? "Are you saying that you are going to tell me this, when no one else in our world – or the muggle world – knows?"

"Yes," he said, sounding impatient, "Now, please do not interrupt or ask questions. It is important that I get this out in one go." He looked me directly in the eye. "Now, the Potters had another child. When they heard that Voldemort" I flinched "was after them, they made the heart-breaking decision to have her put into a safe hiding place. They did everything: changed her name, did memory charms on everyone who knew her, including themselves, they even changed her appearance, just in case someone recognised her. She was sent off to live with a wizarding family who would believe she was their own." He sighed and looked away from me.

"How do you know all of this Professor?" I asked. I kept on wondering what this had to do with me.

"Because, Miranda," he began, "I was the one who had to do the memory charms and all of the other necessary precautionary spells."

"Professor? Sorry – Albus. Was she at Hogwarts recently? Would I know her? What house was she in?"

"Miranda, Miranda," Dumbledore chuckled, "Yes, she has been at Hogwarts recently. You probably know her, but not as well as you would have thought, and she was in Gryffindor. I'll let you do the maths. She was born in 1996 and was one of the older students in her year."

"That means she was in my year… in my dorm!" I said excitedly, "What does she look like?"

"Well…" said Dumbledore, "She has dark brown hair, and dark brown eyes."

I started to think. Dark brown hair? Three of us had that. Dark brown eyes? Two. But no-one had both… no-one except…

"No," I said, my mind was being stretched to the limit. Outstanding in all my NEWTs I could handle, but this?

"You have to understand that this is a complete secret. Yes?"

I nodded, trying to understand everything Dumbledore had said.

"No-one must know. No-one," he repeated. I nodded again. "You may leave, Louise."

"Louise?" I asked - how could he have got my name wrong?

"That's what they called you: Louise Lily Potter." I turned to leave, but he stopped me, and handed me a portrait of himself.

"It's too dangerous – for you – to put anything in a letter," he whispered, "But if you ever need to talk, talking to the portrait will be exactly like talking to me. It knows everything we do." I turned to leave again. "Oh and Miranda, I know you are training to be an auror. I will make sure myself that you aren't put on any missions that would take you anywhere near Harry."

"Thanks," I said and finally left.


End file.
